Councillors enjoy 'constructive and informative meeting'

13 Aug 2018

Local councillors have told the Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott how much they value Kent Police being increasingly accessible to residents right across the county.

The PCC Matthew Scott and Assistant Chief Constable Jo Shiner sat down with 17 parish council representatives last week. Together, they listened to the councillors’ views and answered their questions about local policing.

One of the main topics for discussion was visible policing and the importance of communities being able to engage with Kent Police – one of the key priorities Mr Scott has tasked the Chief Constable with delivering.

Mr Scott said:

‘It is vitally important that Kent Police delivers an efficient and accessible service. I have been pleased to hear that the waiting time for 101 calls to be answered has vastly improved, and that a higher proportion of callers are getting through to speak to the Force Control Room. It was also pleasing to hear from the councillors that more and more of their local police officers and PCSOs are taking the time to engage with them personally.’

The meeting took place on 2 August at Kent Police Headquarters, with Mr Scott and ACC Shiner having agreed to meet with the KALC twice a year.

Sarah Barker, chair of the Kent Association of Local Councils (KALC), said after meeting:

‘We had a very constructive and informative meeting with the Police and Crime Commissioner and Kent Police, where our Area Committee representatives were able to raise and discuss issues that matter most to them and their communities. We all left the meeting with a more informed impression of what Kent Police and the PCC are doing to address our members’ concerns. This direct engagement with the PCC and Kent Police is really important to us and our members and we look forward to the next meeting early in the New Year.’

‘Parish councils are the lifeblood of local communities. They want to support Kent Police and it is clear they really appreciate the opportunity to engage with us on the issues that affect their residents.’

ACC Shiner added:

‘I really value the feedback and ideas that we get from KALC, and was very pleased that this was such a productive meeting. Kent Police strives to listen to the communities that we serve in order to ensure that we deliver a first class service to the public.’